Case



1929- M. J. TRACY ET AL Ju/ius heir axwgZs! Nov. 5, 1929. M. J. TRACY ET AL 1,734,311

CASE

Filed Nov. s, 1928 2 She ets-Shee t 2 Patented Nov. 5, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MICHAEL J. TRACY AND JULI US H. KINTZELE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI CASE Application filed November 3, 1928. Serial No. 317,097.

This invention relates to cases for enclosing any desired articles or mechanisms.

An object of the invention is to provide a case having hinged walls movable to and from closed positions so that when said walls pivoted, the pivot being enclosed in a rigid case or cabinet and the actuating device for the case walls being supported by said rigid case or cabinet.

Another object of the invention is to provide means cooperating with the actuating device for locking the same to prevent operation thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved case embodying the construction and possessing all of the advantages herein disclosed or made apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a lateral side elevation of our improved case.

Fig. 2 is a front side elevation showing the case walls closed.

Fig. 3 is a similar front elevation showing the case walls open.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional View approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view looking from the front, a portion of one of the movable case walls being broken away to disclose the lock and the actuating devices, and the other case wall being shown in section.

The vertical wall or support 1 is rigid and is in rigid connection with a pair of laterally extending parallel spaced side walls 2. The walls 1 and 2 are preferably metal plates and the connection between them may be re inforced and strengthened by angle bars 3 mounted in corners, as shown in Fig. 4. To the outer edge of each plate 2 a metallic an gular front wall member 4 is attached in such a way that the edges of the plates 2 are strengthened and reinforced by overlapping flanges of the angular members 4, while the other portions of the front wall members 4 extend laterally toward each other. The front Wall members 4 are rigid with and co.- operate with the side walls 2 to form an en-. closure; thus, the wall members 4 constitute the front wall of an enclosure and, since the wall members are spaced apart, there is an opening through the front wall of the enclosure. I

A vertical shaft 5 is mounted near the center of the box like enclosure above described and constitutes a support for the hinged walls of the device. There are two of said Walls, each comprising a plate shaped to provide a portion 6 extending radially from the shaft 5 and a curved portion 7 at the outer edge of each radial portion 6. One of the radial portions 6 is attached to a sleeve 8 mounted for turning movements 0. the shaft 5, and the other radial portion 6 is attached to spaced sleeves 9 mounted for turning movements on the shaft 5 in notches formed in the. edge of the opposite radial portion 6 and dividing the sleeve 8 into a number of sections (Fig.

By reference to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the radial wall portions 6 in their closed positions extend toward the inner edges of the flanges of the angle members 4 at the front of the rigid cabinet or case, While the edges of the curved portions 7 are in abutting contact.

To the inner side of each radial wall portion 6 a plate 10 is rigidly secured. The plates 10 have their outer edges 11 bent and extended beyond the outer edges of the radial portions 6, so thatthe edges 11 will engage with the inner sides of the inwardly extended flanges of the angle members 4. This prevents any tools or other devices from being passed into the rigid case through the narrow openings between the edges of the angular members 4' and the adjacent rounded corners at the unions of the wall port-ions 6 and 7.

To each of the plates 6 an actuating bracket is attached, the same comprising a metallic plate bent to provide a supporting portion 12, a laterally extended portion 13, and an upwardly extended portion 1%. lhe supporting portions 12 are attached to the plates and the radial wall portions 6 by fasteners 15, so that the actuating brackets are supported in a relationship in which the rip-standing or vertical portions i i are spaced from the plates 10. Additional rigidity and strength may be obtained by means of ribs 16 formed integrally with the outer sides of the angular plates from which the brackets are made.

A shaft 17 is mounted for turning movements in bearings 18 in connectionrwith the rigid walls 2. This shaft 17 is mount d horizontally and at right angles to the axis of the shaft 5 and is between said shaft 5 and the wall 1. The shaft 17 is equipped with an gular handle 19 which is preferably ar in a relationship so that said handle 1 Vertically when the walls 6-7 c 5 projects horizontally when the walls Of course, the construction may be tionally.

A pair of spaced plates 20 are rigid shaft 17 and project radially theref have axial supports 21 at their outer projecting into the spaces between th ets 14 and the plates 10. A roller is mount ed on each of the axial supports 21. to the brackets 1d and the plates 10. Obvious- 1y, these devices provide means whereby turning of the shaft 17 in one direction will open the case by swinging the case walls 6 7 cppositely, and whereby turning of the 17 in the opposite direction, after the case walls have been opened, will result in sw ing the case walls to closed position. Th devices also hold the case walls rigidly in whatever position they may occupy.

o provide a lock for cooperation with the shaft 17 to'prevent unauthorized opening of the ease. as shown, loci; bolt is supported and operated by a conventional lock device 2d operated by a key in any suitable or familiar manner. Th t is to say, the key 25 may be operated to actuate the bolt 23 to and from locking position.

The bolt s3 operates through a in 26 supported by the adjacent wall 2, a in locking position, engages a projecti rigid on the shaft 17, so as to prevent the 17 from turning in either direction. the shaft- 17 itself constitutes part of the lock for preventing openin movements of the walls 67.

The upper end of the rigid case n ay include a rigid enclosure 28 having a frame 29 supporting panels bearing inscriptions for the guidance of the operator of any mecl contained within the device. The enclosi formed by the radia wall portions 6 and til-O curved portions 7 may be for the purpose of confining the controlling levers or keys for Tellwith tl':

remote mechanisms or structures to which it is desired to prevent unauthorized access.

in operation, assuming that the walls 67 are closed, as shown in Fig. 4, said walls may be opened by operating the key 25 to release the lock bolt 23 from the projection 27, and then swinging forwardly the handle 19. Forward movement of the handle 19 turns the shaft 17 in a direction to swing the plate arms 20 downwardly causing the rollers 22 to operate against the up-standing bracket arms 1% and thus swinging the wall doors 6'7 in op- OSl 3 directions. This causes the curved outor surfaces of the wall portions 7 to swing near the edges of the inwardly extended flanges of the angular members 4:. The wall portions are so close to the edges of the angular mem bers d that it is practically impossible to pass any tool or device between said parts and therefore impossible to tamper with the mechanism. When it is desired to close the device the handle 19 is operated to turn the shaft 17 in the opposite direction, causing the rollers 22 to press against the plates 10 and thereby swing the wall devices 6-7 to closed position, as shown in Fig. 4.

The construction, arrangement and relationship of the parts may be varied within equivalent limits without departure from the nature and principle of the invention.

We do not restrict ourselves unessentially, but what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A device of the character described comprising a shaft, a pair of angular wall elements supported by said shaft, means for operating one of said wall elements toward the other to form an enclosure, and a device for cooperating with said means to lock said last named wall element in closed position.

2. A device of the character described comprising rigid walls forming an enclosure and having an opening through one side thereof, a pair of angular wall elements pivoted in said enclosure, and mechanism for operating said angular wall elements to positions to form an enclosure and to close said opening, and also to positions to open said second enclosure and afford access thereto through said opening.

3. A device of the character described comprising side walls, front wall members rigid and cooperating with said side walls to form an enclosure and being spaced apart to provide an opening through the front wall formed by said front wall members, a vertical shaft mounted in said enclosure, a number of wall elements pivoted on said shaft for movement toward each other to close said opening and for movement in opposite directions away from each other to open said opening, a

shaft supported by said walls for rocking movements, and means operated by said shaft for moving said wall elements as aforesaid.

i. A device of the character described comprising rigidly united back and side Walls,

means rigid with said side walls forming a front wall having an opening therethrough, a shaft mounted in said enclosure between said opening and said rear wall, two wall elements pivoted on said shaft for opening and closing said opening, an actuator supported by said side walls for rocking movements, and connections operated by said actuator for moving said wall elements to positions to open and to close said opening.

5. A device of the character described comprising rigid rear and side walls, means rigid with said side walls forming a front wall and cooperating with said rear and side walls to form an enclosure and having an opening therethrough to said enclosure, a shaft mounted in said enclosure between said opening and said rear wall, a number of wall elements pivoted on said shaft for opening and closing said opening, an actuator supported by said side walls for moving said wall ele ments toward each other to positions to close said opening and from each other to positions to open said opening, and means for preventing operation of said actuator.

6. A device of the character described com prising rigidly united rear and side walls, means rigid with said side walls and coperating with said rear and side walls to form an enclosure and having an opening therethrough to said enclosure, a shaft mounted in said enclosure between said opening and said rear wall, angular wall elements pivoted on said shaft and movable to positions to close said opening, a device supported by said side walls for moving said wall elements to positions to open and to close said opening, and optionally settablc means for preventing operation of said devices.

7'. A device of the character described comprising a shaft, a pair of angular wall ele ments pivoted on said shaft, a pair of spaced supports, an actuator mounted for rocking movements in said supports about an axis at right angles to the axis of said shaft, and connections operated by said actuator for swinging said wall elements simultaneously about said shaft to opened and closed positions.

8. A device of the character described comprising a shaft, a pair of angular wall elements pivoted on said shaft, walls forming an enclosure for said shaft, an actuator sup ported by said walls for rocking movements about an axis at right angles to the axis of said shaft, devices operated by said actuator for swinging said wall elements simultaneously about said shaft to opened and closed positions, and means for preventing unauthorized operation of said actuator.

9. A device of the character described comprising a shaft, a pair of angular wall elements pivoted on said shaft and arranged to cooperate to form an enclosure and being movable to position to open the enclosure formed thereby, an actuator supported for turning movements about an axis at right angles to the axis of said shaft, arms attached to said actuator, and means for operating said wall elements by said arms.

10. A device of the character described comprising a shaft, a pair of angular Wall elements pivoted on said shaft, an actuator supported for turning movements about an axis at right angles to the axis of said shaft, brackets attached to said wall elements, and arms projecting from said actuator and engaging said brackets for operating said wall elements by said arms.

11. A device of the character described comprising rigid walls forming an enclosure and having an opening through one side thereof, a pair of angular Wall elements pivotally supported in said enclosure for move ment to positions to open and to close said opening, an actuator supported by said walls for turning movements about an axis at right angles to the axis of the pivots of said angular wall elements, and means operated by said actuator for moving said wall elements to position to form an enclosure and to close said opening.

12. A device of the character described comprising rigid walls forming an enclosure and having an opening through one side thereof, a pair of angular wall elements pivotally supported in said enclosure for movement to positions to open and to close said opening, an actuator supported by said walls for turning movements about an axis at right angles to the axis of the pivots of said angular wall elements, means operated by said actuator for moving said wall elements to position to form an enclosure and to close said opening, and plates attached to said wall elements for closing the spaces between said wall elements and the edges of said opening to said enclosure. I

MICHAEL J. TRACY. JULIUS H. KINTZELE. 

